Florida’s Hidden Natural Wonders

Florida is home to quite a few natural wonders, and if you happen to be driving through any of these places on your way to Sea Shells Beach Club, or just looking for an unusual day trip, don’t miss these attractions.

Williston is about two hours from Sea Shells Beach Club, but you might also pass through if you’re driving in from the north. Devil’s Den (pictured at top) is a scuba/snorkel adventure (you must do one of the two to view it). Dive down to explore this rare karst window (a collapsed cave over an underground river).

Williston is certainly the place for divers, as it’s also home to the Blue Grotto Cavern, where you can dive down to a depth of 100 feet in crystal clear water at a water temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit all year round. Open water diving certification required. There is also the Blue Grotto Cave, for more advanced divers with cave diver certification.

Silver Springs is about 1 hour, 20 minutes from Sea Shells Beach Club. If you’re lacking in diving or snorkel experience, Silver Springs makes a great stop if you’re driving in from the north. Home to one of the largest springs of its magnitude in the world, the park is also one of the oldest attractions in Florida. Enjoy this slice of Old Florida with a glass bottom boat ride.

The natural rock formations at Florida Caverns State Park are beautiful to behold.

At about 4 hours and 45 minutes from Sea Shells Beach Club, you probably won’t make this a trip from the resort, but if you’re driving in through Alabama or Georgia, this park is at the northwestern-most tip of Florida. Better yet, you can stay on dry land to witness these natural cave formations!

This is one of the few state parks with dry (air-filled) caves and is the only state park in Florida to offer cave tours to the public. The Florida Cavern has dazzling formations of limestone stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, flowstones and draperies. The Chipola River and Blue Hole spring provide areas for fishing, canoeing and boating.

The Timucuan National park is about 1.5 hours from Sea Shells Beach Club and National Park Week is April 15-23, so it might be the perfect time to visit. One of the last unspoiled coastal wetlands on the Atlantic Coast, Timucuan is home to 6,000 years of human history, salt marshes, coastal dunes, and hardwood hammocks.

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A native of New Jersey, Victoria isn't entirely sure how she ended up in Kansas City, but has enjoyed writing, editing, creating, communicating and marketing for high-profile accounts throughout the city ever since. In her spare time, Victoria is an actor (and active) with local community and city theatre.